Revenge. Historically, revenge causes one to act blindly through anger, rather than through reason. It is based on the principle of an eye for an eye, an irrational theory that leads to rash and hasty action with innumerable consequences, namely death. This principle is not always an intelligent philosophy to live by. Nor does it always hold true, because even revenge that is calmly planned and executed precisely ends in pain, agony, and demise. Shakespeare does a brilliant of showing this idea of revenge in Hamlet: Prince of Denmark and Othello: The Moor of Venice. In Hamlet, Prince Hamlet is burdened with the order of avenging his father?s
murder, committed by Hamlet?s uncle, the now King Claudius. His father?s ghost haunts the grounds of Elsinore, a blighted spirit condemned to walk the land each night until his purgatory is served, and when the Hamlet speaks with the ghost, he is told to, ?Revenge his [father?s] foul and most unnatural murder.? Hamlet readily agrees to this task, vowing to ?sweep to [his] revenge,? no matter what the cost. However, as the play progresses, each time Hamlet is presented with the opportunity to exact his revenge, he stalls himself.
Something causes Hamlet to catch himself just before he follows through, and that something is his tendency to think too much. It is possible for someone to over-think a situation, a course of action, and Hamlet succeeds in doing this until the last scene of the play when revenge becomes inevitable. Hamlet first plans to act mad in order to glean information about the circumstances around his father?s murder. This is not a bad plan, per se, but he learns very little by pretending to be dissenting into madness. Then, he chooses to have a troupe of traveling actors perform a mimicry of his father?s murder for King Claudius and the court in the form of a play. Ah, now Hamlet has his proof as Claudius rises during the murder scene and orders the play to be stopped. He can exact his revenge with a clear conscience. Or can he? He tracks down Claudius in the church where he sees the villain kneeling, back turned, and draws his sword. But here he pauses to think, recalling that a man killed after confessing his sins will go to heaven, which is an unacceptable fate for the villain?s soul.
The Term Paper on Hamlet – Revenge and Procrastination
... characteristic as a hero in a Shakespearean tragedy, Hamlet reckons that the murder of Claudius can only be justified if it is done ... of young Hamlet's father. It is at the critical moment of revelation by the Ghost of Hamlet that young Hamlet is destined for revenge. Although ... studied and most intriguing of the collected tragedies. In this play, many audiences and critics question the actions of the ...
To take him in the purging of his soul, When he is fit and seasoned for his passage? Up sword, and know thou a more horrid hent.? So Hamlet sheathes his sword and walks away, just missing Claudius? woe over not being able to pray. The perfect opportunity missed and never regained again. Even in the end, where he finally does work up the courage to kill Claudius, it is only because Hamlet himself is dying and realizes it is either now or never. Contrasting Hamlet is Iago, the villain in Othello. Unlike Hamlet, who had every reason to run his sword through Claudius, Iago?s reason for revenge is petty. His employer, Othello, has decided to give the promotion to lieutenant to Michael Cassio, a man whom Iago brands as unworthy for such a rank. ?Mere prattle without practice is all his soldiership.? And this one slight is Iago?s entire driving force for revenge. He is a man of planned action, his serpentine power and poison hidden beneath an exterior of benevolence and honesty. In this play, everyone trusts the villain until the last scene when his machinations are finally revealed. And he actually manages to follow through with his plans, and where Hamlet fails, he succeeds, though his revenge is his downfall. Iago?s scheme is to convince, through insinuations and a handkerchief, Othello that Othello?s young and devoted wife, Desdemona, is secretly having an affair with Cassio.
The Essay on Reality Vs Illusion Iago Othello Revenge
Reality vs. Illusion Michael CioffiOutline I. Introduction A. Introduce topic 1. Reality and illusion 2. Confusion between the two II. First Body A. Othello 1. Othello is a great example 2. Iago gains revenge through this III. Second Body A. Othello 1. Out of revenge 2. Iago uses his plan IV. Conclusion A. Reality vs. Illusion 1. Confusion between the two 2. Iago knows how to get his way Reality ...
He employs Roderigo to be his pawn, playing on Roderigo?s crush on Desdemona, and together they first succeed in getting Othello to strip Cassio of his position of lieutenant.
Then, Iago suggests that Cassio go to Desdemona for help in getting back into Othello?s good graces, an idea that Cassio immediately agrees to. Thus the plan is put into action.
The villain plants the seed of doubt in the Moor?s mind, implying that Cassio is meeting with Desdemona because they are having a liaison, but Othello demands more.
And on the proof there is no more but this- Away at once with love or jealousy!? So Desdemona?s handkerchief, a present from the Moor, is put into play. In order to understand this item?s place in the plot, one must follow the true path of the handkerchief in contrast to the path perceived by Othello. The kerchief, dropped by Desdemona, is retrieved by Emilia, Iago?s wife, who gives it to Iago, who, in turn, gives it to Cassio. This is the truth. But in order for Iago?s revenge to be more complete, this is what Othello is led to believe: that Desdemona gave the kerchief to Cassio as a sign of her love. Othello has his ?proof? and the domino effect of this small misplaced trinket is overwhelming. He murders his wife, Roderigo is killed by Iago, Cassio is seriously wounded, Emilia is killed by Iago, and finally, the Moor commits suicide. Iago, consequently, is captured and ordered to be tortured then executed. Compare Hamlet?s reason for revenge and the results to Iago?s reason for revenge and the results. Claudius killed Hamlet?s father, his own brother, for the queen and the crown with absolutely no sign of true remorse. And in the final scene, all Hamlet got was a paltry last ditch effort to exact his revenge.
He didn?t destroy Claudius in any way. He didn?t make him suffer mercilessly although he had every reason to. Instead he sat, or stood, there, making long, poetic monologues and feeling sorry for himself. And then we have Iago, a wolf in sheep?s clothing, who goes about tearing apart the life of every character in the play just because he was ?cheated? out of being Othello?s lieutenant. And yes, Iago did make his fair share of speeches, but he got things accomplished. He performed his plans to the fullest. In both plays nearly everyone dies, but who do you think got the better revenge? The reflective thinker or the action taker? The man who was condemned to die and then went about taking his revenge or the man who got his revenge and then is sentenced to death?
The Essay on Contrast Between Iago And Othello Is The Most Important Contrast In The Play
How far do you agree with the view that the contrast between Iago and Othello is the most important contrast in the play? In the play Othello, there are many forms of contrast, one of which is the contrast between the characters of Othello and Iago, which could be argued as being the most important contrast in the play. In this essay I am going to discuss various contrasts between these two ...
